The present invention relates to an aircraft navigation computer and more particularly to such a computer useful to the pilot private plane where the pilot must perform his own navigation functions.
A variety of aids have been devised and sold for the purpose of enabling pilot to solve basic navigation problems. Examples of these are various slide rules, circular and straight, and pocket calculators. While these devices can perform the necessary calculations, often to a much higher degree of precision than is actually useful to the pilot, they typically require that the pilot work separately with a calculator, his charts and maps, and/or a separate piece of paper or clipboard. Managing such a variety of equipment can be fairly trying, particularly under adverse flying conditions or when distracted by passengers.
Among the several objects of the present invention may be noted the provision of an aircraft navigation aid in which elapsed time calculations are coordinated with map plotting; the provision of such a device in which course plotting and time calculation are combined in a single selfpowered unit; the provision of such a device which does not require attachment to or drawing power from the aircraft; the provision of such a device which minimizes the time required by the pilot to perform navigation duties; the provision of such a device which will operate essentially automatically and which will provide a signal when a predetermined checkpoint should have been reached; the provision of such apparatus which will provide an indication of the amount of time left to reach a predetermined checkpoint; the provision of such an apparatus which is highly reliable; the provision of such an apparatus which may be operated instinctively; the provision of such a device which may be powered by long-lived batteries; and the provision of such apparatus which is reliable and is of relatively simple and inexpensive construction.
Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.